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Author:
Jason Rickard

Attention Deficit Disorder is a chronic neurological disorder, which is predominantly diagnosed in children. Statistics estimates that 2-5 % of the population is affected by ADD, considering the rare possibility for cases of Adult ADD. ADD is one of the disturbing pediatric disorders in the United States, since 5 million are affected by this disorder. Attention deficit disorder is the old name of the disease with characteristic symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity, which is later renamed as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD HD). The disorder is classified into three distinct subtypes, ADHD predominantly combined type, ADHD predominantly inattentive type and ADHD predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type, on the basis of the pronounced characteristic symptom.

Children with ADD show distractibility, forgetfulness, impulse control, and disorganization. It is often misdiagnosed as any learning disability disease, however, pervasive symptoms for six months must be suspected. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders describe particular symptoms for the children belonging to each type of ADD. The inattentive type shows the symptom such as careless mistakes due to inattention, trouble in playing games that require concentration, failure to follow instructions, avoiding school projects and seminars, forgetfulness, distractibility and recurring losses. The hyperactivity-impulsive type shows symptoms such as restlessness, difficulty in staying seated, wanting to run and climb all the time, answering before a question has been completed, and excessive speech. The combined type will exhibit both types of symptoms.

Usually, children with ADD will have certain learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, low thyroid, and tendency to violate rules and regulations. It is quite interesting that the features of gifted children are often misinterpreted as symptoms of ADD. In adults, ADD is characteristic with symptoms such as low esteem, procrastination, boredom, anxiety, depression, mood swings, relationship problems, forgetfulness, restlessness, sleep problems, and addiction.

Treatments for ADD are not effective to provide a complete cure, to date, since the exact cause of the disease is not identified. The only known fact is that the disease is brought on because of some sort of neurological problem. It is suspected that impairment to the neurotransmitters can be the possible cause. Physicians prescribe several medications, which help the ADD patients to control their symptoms effectively. The simulative medications include methylphenidate, dextroamphetamine, and benzphetamine. The brand names such as Ritalin and Adderall are some of the widely accepted drugs for ADD treatment. The psychotherapies such as behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, relaxation therapy and neurofeedback are suggested to improve the social behavior of ADD patients. In addition, nutritional supplements such as zinc, amino acids, and fatty acids such as Omega 3, are recommended to enhance the condition of ADD patients.

About the Author :

Jason Rickard is the owner of Your Favourite Shop - Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs - Visit Hapa Health for more articles.


Article Source: www.iSnare.com

| Article Keywords: ADHD News

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to ADHD News... ADHD and the College Student Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder can, in a percentage of children, continue into adulthood. Yet the ADHD diagnosis does not mean that the child cannot go to college. All throughout his or her education, the ADHD child has learn strategies for learning and behavior that can also be effective in college. Plus, services for the ADHD individual do not end at high school graduation. Section 504 issued by the Office of Civil Rights requires that all college institutions receiving federal funding accommodate students with disabilities, including ADHD. If ADHD can be demonstrated to interfere with the student's learning disabilities, then the ADHD affected college student is eligible for educational assistance including tutoring and even extended or distraction free accommodation for testing. There are even scholarships available for students with ADHD. Many of the scholarships are mainly posted as those open for students with disabilities, but ADHD can be considered a disability for those students' whose learning ability is impaired by the disorder. There are a number of scholarship websites and books that can help the student locate the scholarships available and assist in the application process. ADHD can also be beneficial to college students, because the disorder often provides them with more energy and creativity in the university setting. It is however, very important for the ADHD student to continue to use the learning and structural mechanisms that proved helpful before. Keeping a schedule posted and writing down assignments and due dates are imperative to being successful in college. On the other hand, the ability to be creative and more individual is often rewarded in the higher education setting, so the ADHD affected student may also receive more praise...